Chile

Question 1

How long in miles is Chile? How much of this is occupied by viticulture?

Answer 1

• 3,000 miles up west Coast of South America

- 800 coastal miles for viticulture

Question 2

Is most of viticulture in Chile North or South of Santiago?

Answer 2

South

Question 3

6 regional DOs of Chile North to South

Answer 3

• Atacama
• Coquimbo
• Aconcagua
• Valle Central
• Sur
• Austral Region

Question 4

What is climate of northern Atacama and Coquimbo? What are grapes there usually used for?

Answer 4

• Dry and desert like

- Grapes often used for Pisco or table grapes

Question 5

Where are Chiles most suitable vineyards for fine wines situated?

Answer 5

Central Valley south of Santiago and along the coast

Question 6

What mountain range and major wind current keeps vines cool in best growing areas in Chile?

Answer 6

• Andes Mountains

- Humboldt Current

Question 7

Where are the Coastal Mountains?

Answer 7

Between Central Valley and Pacific

Question 8

Is irrigation necessary in Central Valley and Aconcagua?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

When was Chilean wine law introduced? What was major tenant?

Answer 9

• 1995

- 75% rule

Question 10

What is 75% rule in Chile? What is actually observed?

Answer 10

must be 75% to list

• vintage
• varietal
• DO

*Many wineries observe 85% in line with EU for export

Question 11

Min alcohol/oak for Chilean wine?
Reserva/Reserva Especial?
Reserva Privada/Gran Reserva?

Answer 11

• General wine: 11.5% no wood mandatory
• Reserva/Reserva Especial: 12%, R.E w/ oak
• Reserva Privada/Gran Reserva: 12.5%, G.R w/ oak

Question 12

Top 2 Grapes in Chile

Answer 12

• Cab Sauvignon

- País

Question 13

Other grapes in Chile besides C.S. and País

Answer 13

• Merlot
• Sauv Blanc
• Sauv Vert (Friulano)
• Chard
• Carmenère
• Syrah
• Sémillon
• Pinot Noir
• Cab Franc

Question 14

How much of total acreage is red grapes in Chile

Answer 14

73%

Question 15

Where is Coquimbo? Two northern valleys in Coquimbo starting to gain rep for wines?

Answer 15

• 2nd most northern region in Chile

- Elqui and Limarí

Question 16

Where would you find the Elqui and Limarí Valleys? What are each known for?

Answer 16

-Northern valleys in Coquimbo

• Elqui - cool high altitude - Syrah
• Limarí - coastal, limestone soil - Chardonnay

Question 17

What geographical feature named Aconcagua DO?

Answer 17

Aconcagua River

Question 18

Where is Aconcagua? Climate? Grapes?

Answer 18

• 3rd most northern region in Chile
• sunny, dry
• red grapes - Cab/Merlot

Question 19

Where is Errázuriz located? Iconic bottling? Why famous?

Answer 19

• commune of Panquehue in Aconcagua
• Seña BDX blend
• beat Lafite and Margaux in 2004 Berlin tasting!

Question 20

3 subregions of Aconcagua?

Answer 20

• Panquehue DO (Errázuriz - Seña)
• Casablanca DO (most prominent zone)
• San Antonio DO (white wine)

Question 21

What two subregions of Aconcagua are cooler on the coast? Which has become Aconcagua’s most prominent zone of production?

Answer 21

• Casablanca DO and San Antonio DO

- Casablanca most prominent zone of production

Question 22

What grapes might you find in Casablanca DO? Which larger region is it in?

Answer 22

• Sauvignon Blanc and Chard

- in Aconcagua

Question 23

Where is Valle Central in Chile?

Answer 23

• 4th from n-s regions of Chile

- between Andes and hills along the coast

Question 24

Subregions of Valle Central N-S

Answer 24

• Maipo Valley
• Rapel Valley
• Curicó
• Maule Valley

Question 25

What is Chiles most famous winemaking region? Main grape? How much is planted to it?

Answer 25

- Maipo Valley - Cab Sauv - 50%

Question 26

Top producers in Maipo bc of prox. to Santiago?

Answer 26

- Concha y Toro - Santa Rita - Cousiño Macul

Question 27

Who makes Don Melchor? Grapes?

Answer 27

- Concha y Toro (largest producer in Chile) | - Cab Sauv

Question 28

Who makes Viñedo Chadwick? Grapes?

Answer 28

- Errázuriz | - Cab Sauv

Question 29

Who makes Almaviva? Grapes?

Answer 29

- Concha y Toro with Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton) | - Cab dominated BDX blend

Question 30

Which wine won at 2004 Berlin Tasting?

Answer 30

2000 "Viñedo Chadwick" Cab Sauv made by Errázuriz

Question 31

2 subzones of Rapel Valley? Leading grape?

Answer 31

- Cachapoal - Colchagua - Cab Sauv is leading - Merlot next but Carmenère gaining on Merlot

Question 32

What top subregion of Maipo is source for Chilean premium wines Don Melchor, Viñedo Chadwick, and Almaviva?

Answer 32

Puente Alto

Question 33

What subregions of Colchagua are gaining importance for premium wines?

Answer 33

- San Fernando - high alt eastern - Chimbarongo - high alt eastern - Apalta - eastern

Question 34

What two iconic BDX blends are sourced from Apalta? Where is Apalta

Answer 34

- Casa Lapostolle's "Clos Apalta" - Viña Montes "Alpha M" -Apalta < Colchagua < Rapel Valley < Valle Central

Question 35

What high profile varietal Camernère is sourced from Colchagua

Answer 35

Purple Angel - Viña Montes

Question 36

Who makes Puple Angel? Where is it from?

Answer 36

Viña Montes | -Colchagua, Rapel Valley, Central Valley

Question 37

What is one of Chile's largest regions within Central Valley? What is quality like?

Answer 37

- Maule Valley | - quality is variable

Question 38

Where did Miguel Torres set up Chilean operations in 1970s?

Answer 38

- Curicó DO in Central Valley DO | - brought international recognition

Question 39

Subregions of Sur DO? Top grapes?

Answer 39

- Itata Valley - País, Muscat of Alexandria (a lot) - Bío Bío Valley - País, Muscat of Alexandria (a lot) -Malleco - tiny - few ha. Pinot and Chard

Question 40

When did Chliean Ministry of Agriculture set up three new geographic terms? What are they? Describe

Answer 40

2012 - Costa - proximity to coast - Entre Cordilleras - between coastal range and Andes - Andes - over 3/4 Chilean wine *must be 85% harvested from appropriate region